Antares : Cygnus NG-15 : February 20, 2021 (17:36 UTC)

• #60 by Jansen on 20 Feb, 2021 16:52
• Fist bumps all around

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• #61 by Jansen on 20 Feb, 2021 17:03
• https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1363183393761091586
• #62 by Jansen on 20 Feb, 2021 17:05
• https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1363175620482596864
• #63 by FutureSpaceTourist on 20 Feb, 2021 21:01
• https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1363237753186627587
  
  

  Quote

  We've confirmed that the solar arrays are fully deployed on the S.S. Katherine Johnson #Cygnus.
• #64 by edkyle99 on 21 Feb, 2021 12:51
• Some images.
  
  https://blogs.nasa.gov/northropgrumman/2021/02/20/first-look-launch-photos/
  
   - Ed Kyle

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• #65 by edkyle99 on 21 Feb, 2021 13:04
• Quote from: edkyle99 on 20 Feb, 2021 16:07

  The NG-15 Mission Profile Handout lists the  payload mass at 8,050 kg, heaviest Cygnus on an Antares, and apparently heavier than the Atlas 5 Cygnus payloads.
  
  Cygnus Launch Mass:
  8,050 kg (17,700 lb.)
  Propellant Mass:
  800 kg (1,764 lb.)
  Ascent Cargo Mass:
  Approx. 3,400 kg (7,500 lb.)
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  Looking at this a bit more, I found that the NG-14 "Mission Profile Handout" had the same numbers!  I suspect that the actual liftoff mass was more like 7,700 kg, still a record for Antares, but I'm doing a lot of extrapolating to get that number.  The cargo mass for this mission was listed as 3,810 kg in the NASA handout.
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #66 by PM3 on 21 Feb, 2021 13:19
• One more passenger on this flight:
  
  

  Quote from: javax on 21 Feb, 2021 06:03

  First israeli university nanosat designed and built w/o Israel Aerospace Industries participation launched inside Cygnus spacecraft and then will be launched to space from ISS
  
  Here details:
  https://english.m.tau.ac.il/news/tau-sat-1
  

  
  

  Quote

  TAU-SAT1, Tel Aviv University’s first nanosatellite, launched into orbit on Saturday at 7:36 PM Israel time, from the NASA launch facility in Virginia.

  https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/tau-sat1-first-miniature-satellite-built-on-tel-aviv-u-campus-orbiting-earth/2021/02/21/
  
  And three more Birds, according to https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/bird.htm:
  
  - Guaranisat 1, first satellite of Paraguay
  - MAYA 2 (Philippines)
  - Tsuru (Japan)
  
• #67 by Targeteer on 22 Feb, 2021 06:01
• The crew is active and sounds like they are having trouble activating some of the capture software (R-POP)
• #68 by Targeteer on 22 Feb, 2021 06:06
• MCC-H reports the external cameras saw Cygnus behind ISS about 8 "clicks"
• #69 by Targeteer on 22 Feb, 2021 06:31
• 4.8 km behind, 1.2 km below
• #70 by Targeteer on 22 Feb, 2021 07:00
• approach initiation burn complete.  Crew calls tally-ho
  
• #71 by Targeteer on 22 Feb, 2021 07:00
• NASA TV coverage starts
• #72 by Targeteer on 22 Feb, 2021 07:42
• Cygnus within the keep out sphere.  Is anyone else watching?
• #73 by seawolfe on 22 Feb, 2021 08:18
•    LOL, I just woke up preparing to go to work and saw your post.  Yup, watching!   
• #74 by Aw09 on 22 Feb, 2021 08:32
• capture point reached
  
  edit:
  go for capture
  
• #75 by Chris Bergin on 22 Feb, 2021 08:40
• https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1363785637342625792
• #76 by Aw09 on 22 Feb, 2021 08:44
• capture confirmed at 0938 UTC
  

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• #77 by eeergo on 22 Feb, 2021 09:47
• Just tuned in, thank you for the coverage for those of us who couldn't watch the launch or the capture live!
  
  Fun fact: I was able to touch and monkey around the barrel for this mission's PCM pressure vessel while it was in friction stir welding ops during my first day on site in Turin (either this one or the next one for NG-16, those touring me around weren't sure).
• #78 by sdsds on 22 Feb, 2021 10:01
• On the arm. Ustream.

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• #79 by sdsds on 22 Feb, 2021 10:07
• Headed for Earth facing (nadir) port of Unity.
  Capture by Soichi. Arm now under ground control.
  ISS 262 miles above the Mediterranean.

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